A Medway school is being forced to partially close due to staff shortages caused by teachers self-isolating from Covid-19.

Holcombe Grammar School in Chatham will be shut to pupils in Years 10 and 12 tomorrow and Wednesday.

Parents of children in those years have been instructed to keep them away from school for those two days.

In a letter to parents, seen by KentOnline, principal Lee Preston said: "We are continuing to be wholly responsible in fulfilling the duty of care we have to our students, staff and our wider school community, including you all, by following the advice and guidance from the government and Public Health England.

"With that at the forefront of our minds, we have taken the decision today that, because of staff shortages, caused by self-isolating as advised by the government, we are closing the school to students in Year 10 and Year 12 on Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th March.

"Students in these two years are not to come to school on these two days and need to remain at home.

"We will review the partial closure on Wednesday and will update all parents and carers accordingly following our meeting that day."

Holcombe Grammar is not the only school in the area to be affected by Covid-19.

Both sites of St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School were closed earlier this month as a Year 8 pupil was diagnosed with the disease.

The school's upper site, in Ordnance Street, which houses year 9-13 pupils, underwent a deep clean last week and reopened on Wednesday, March 11.

Its lower site in nearby Maidstone Road, for Years 7 and 8 opened its doors again this morning.

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